Zennihon Line to Fully Launch Regular Trunk Service Between Kansai and Kanto from May
Zennihon Line will fully launch a regular trunk line service between the Kansai and Kanto regions from May 2026, utilizing its own large refrigerated and frozen trucks. This initiative aims to address challenges posed by the '2024 Logistics Problem' and recent legal reforms, ensuring high-quality transport management and stable supply for sustainable logistics.
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- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 19:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 10:31
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Zennihon Line Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Shin Oe; hereinafter, Zennihon Line), a group company of Farmind Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Itaru Kobayashi; hereinafter, Farmind), which supports the stable supply of high-quality fresh produce through a nationwide cold chain, will newly commence regular operations with its own large refrigerated and frozen trucks between the Kansai and Kanto areas from May 2026.
Against the backdrop of two revised logistics-related laws, by combining direct operations with its own large refrigerated and frozen trucks with its conventional network of over 250 partner companies, Zennihon Line will achieve both a higher level of transport quality management and stable supply, providing a sustainable logistics system.
[Background] Increasing Importance of Transport System Transparency and Quality Assurance
Due to the legal amendment regarding driver working hour regulations enforced in 2024, known as the '2024 Problem,' securing transport capacity, especially for long-distance transport, has become even more difficult in the logistics industry. It is projected that without change, approximately 34%* of nationwide transport capacity will be insufficient by 2030, making it a significant challenge to maintain 'uninterrupted logistics.'
Furthermore, with the gradual enforcement of two logistics-related laws from April 2025, there has been a strong demand to clarify who is responsible for transport and under what system, aiming to rectify multi-layered subcontracting structures and improve transport system transparency. Specifically, the revised Road Transport Act promotes the visualization of transaction structures through obligations such as the creation and preservation of real transport system management ledgers, and efforts to limit re-consignment to second-tier subcontractors have been positioned as a duty to endeavor.
Against the backdrop of these challenges, the value of a consistent transport system using a company's own fleet has increased. While leveraging its network with conventional partner companies, Zennihon Line is strengthening its transport system by incorporating its own large refrigerated and frozen trucks, working towards improving the stability of its logistics network and enhancing quality management.
*From the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's 'About the 2024 Logistics Problem'
Value Realized by Zennihon Line's Own Large Refrigerated and Frozen Trucks and a Network of Over 250 Partner Companies
Advanced Transport Quality Management
By deploying its own large refrigerated and frozen trucks for trunk line transport, Zennihon Line has established a system that can collectively control operation management, temperature management, and safety management even for long-distance transport. This enables the assurance of even more stable transport quality than before for goods requiring critical temperature control, such as fresh produce, frozen, and chilled foods.
Sustainable Transport System in Anticipation of Legal Reforms
By combining its own fleet with a network of over 250 partner companies, Zennihon Line is addressing vehicle shortages during peak seasons and seasonal fluctuations in long-distance transport, resolving discrepancies between production and transport plans, and working to curb multi-layered subcontracting and improve transport transparency. It aims to build a sustainable transport infrastructure by balancing stable supply less affected by sudden market fluctuations and cost equalization.
Regular Transport Plan Overview
This service operates on the premise of regular charter operations for single vehicles and flexibly accommodates a wide range of operational schedules from 1 day a week to 365 days, meeting the needs of shipper companies with varying operating days and periods.
Based on our corporate philosophy of 'connecting producers and consumers,' our group will continue to contribute to the development of fresh produce distribution and work towards realizing a sustainable society, centering on a cold chain built around produce centers and a nationwide logistics network.
Zennihon Line Co., Ltd. Company Profile
Company Name: Zennihon Line Co., Ltd.
Representative: Shin Oe
Location: PMO Akihabara 8F, 3-11-6 Iwamotocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Established: July 1986 (Current entity established: March 1975)
Business Activities: Motor freight transport business, freight forwarding business, etc.
Against the backdrop of two revised logistics-related laws, by combining direct operations with its own large refrigerated and frozen trucks with its conventional network of over 250 partner companies, Zennihon Line will achieve both a higher level of transport quality management and stable supply, providing a sustainable logistics system.
[Background] Increasing Importance of Transport System Transparency and Quality Assurance
Due to the legal amendment regarding driver working hour regulations enforced in 2024, known as the '2024 Problem,' securing transport capacity, especially for long-distance transport, has become even more difficult in the logistics industry. It is projected that without change, approximately 34%* of nationwide transport capacity will be insufficient by 2030, making it a significant challenge to maintain 'uninterrupted logistics.'
Furthermore, with the gradual enforcement of two logistics-related laws from April 2025, there has been a strong demand to clarify who is responsible for transport and under what system, aiming to rectify multi-layered subcontracting structures and improve transport system transparency. Specifically, the revised Road Transport Act promotes the visualization of transaction structures through obligations such as the creation and preservation of real transport system management ledgers, and efforts to limit re-consignment to second-tier subcontractors have been positioned as a duty to endeavor.
Against the backdrop of these challenges, the value of a consistent transport system using a company's own fleet has increased. While leveraging its network with conventional partner companies, Zennihon Line is strengthening its transport system by incorporating its own large refrigerated and frozen trucks, working towards improving the stability of its logistics network and enhancing quality management.
*From the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's 'About the 2024 Logistics Problem'
Value Realized by Zennihon Line's Own Large Refrigerated and Frozen Trucks and a Network of Over 250 Partner Companies
Advanced Transport Quality Management
By deploying its own large refrigerated and frozen trucks for trunk line transport, Zennihon Line has established a system that can collectively control operation management, temperature management, and safety management even for long-distance transport. This enables the assurance of even more stable transport quality than before for goods requiring critical temperature control, such as fresh produce, frozen, and chilled foods.
Sustainable Transport System in Anticipation of Legal Reforms
By combining its own fleet with a network of over 250 partner companies, Zennihon Line is addressing vehicle shortages during peak seasons and seasonal fluctuations in long-distance transport, resolving discrepancies between production and transport plans, and working to curb multi-layered subcontracting and improve transport transparency. It aims to build a sustainable transport infrastructure by balancing stable supply less affected by sudden market fluctuations and cost equalization.
Regular Transport Plan Overview
This service operates on the premise of regular charter operations for single vehicles and flexibly accommodates a wide range of operational schedules from 1 day a week to 365 days, meeting the needs of shipper companies with varying operating days and periods.
Based on our corporate philosophy of 'connecting producers and consumers,' our group will continue to contribute to the development of fresh produce distribution and work towards realizing a sustainable society, centering on a cold chain built around produce centers and a nationwide logistics network.
Zennihon Line Co., Ltd. Company Profile
Company Name: Zennihon Line Co., Ltd.
Representative: Shin Oe
Location: PMO Akihabara 8F, 3-11-6 Iwamotocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Established: July 1986 (Current entity established: March 1975)
Business Activities: Motor freight transport business, freight forwarding business, etc.